Back pain patients usually find themselves facing two alternatives for pain relief: pain medication or massage therapy.  Contrary to what some people may assume, both alternatives are able to provide instant relief to the pain, but the types of results they provide are different.  So, what is the difference between massage therapy and pain medicine? Which method of relief is more effective, even for the short term?

A recent study by Seattle researches proved the effectiveness of undergoing massage therapy as compared to taking pain medicines. The study was conducted on 401 patients, mostly middle-aged women, and was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

According to the results of the research, massage therapy can provide better relief to patients with back pain than traditional medical care, such as painkillers, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory drugs.  Patients who went through a massage therapy attested that their back pain was completely gone after ten weeks. This group of patients also spent fewer days in bed.

At the same time, two types of massage therapy were studies by the researchers: relaxation massage and structural massage. Both types provided similar results in relieving back pain after ten weeks of application.

Physical Therapy NYC provides specific massage therapy techniques that can accommodate the varying needs of patients. Each therapy session is specifically tailored to the unique condition of the patient and therefore offers a faster and more targeted treatment without the added side effects. Patients are also guaranteed faster recuperation, which enables them to go back to work faster than if they pursued other surgical and drug treatment options.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine 2011 July 5.

-Dr Sid
Esprit Wellness